


Broken Love

by gryffin_draco



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Vietnam, Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 05:29:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16402187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffin_draco/pseuds/gryffin_draco
Summary: A drabble where a teenage Kira discovers love and heartache.





	Broken Love

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this 11 years ago and found it on my livejournal. I figured I should post it for posterity in case I ever delete it.

It was two days past his eighteenth birthday, and he was already being called away for his term of service. His duffel was packed and sitting next to him in the booth.

* * *

Kira was surprised to see the handsome stranger sitting in the back of the café. The town was small; enough so that a customer that was not a regular patron was a rare occurrence.

“What can I get for you?”

“Whatever your special is and some tea would be great.”  
  
Hearing the quiet, shy voice Kira gave him an encouraging smile and told him it would be right out.  
  
“Actually, if it’s not too much trouble, would you mind sitting down for a while and talking to me? I’m feeling a little low.”  
  
“I’m off in an hour, if you can wait. I know just the place to go.”

* * *

Kira led him down the dusty, deserted road and out to the pier, inviting him to sit on the edge of the dock and soak his feet in the cool water.  
  
“I always come here when I am feeling depressed. Something about the lake just makes all of my worries disappear.”  
  
They say there in silence for a while, soaking up the peaceful atmosphere.  
  
“I bet you have a boyfriend,” the soldier said, “but I don’t care. I really don’t have anyone to send a letter to. My folks were glad to be rid of me, and I never really fit in with the rest of the town. Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?”  
  
“I would like that,” Kira said with a light smile.

* * *

“You got another one,” Kira’s mother shouted as he walked in the door.  
  
The blond ran to the table and snatched up the envelope with his name on it – postmarked from Vietnam. The letters had stopped coming from California a couple weeks ago.  
  
“That boy’s too old for you. No good will come of it, mark my words. Everyone at the church agrees with me, too”  
  
Kira glared at his mother.  
  
“Good thing it’s not up to you or your friends. I’m all he’s got, and I love him.”  
  
With that, he fled to the sanctuary of his room to read in peace.  
  
_Dear Kira,_

_I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Receiving your letters are the highlight of my week. I got that picture of you in your new band uniform. I must say, I never thought of you as the piccolo type. I keep it in my helmet where it is least likely to get damaged. Once the guys find out, I doubt I will ever hear the end of it.  
When it’s getting kind of rough over here, I think of that day sitting down at the pier. I close my eyes and see your pretty smile, and suddenly everything gets that much easier to endure. I can’t wait to be done with my term of service. The moment I get that letter, I am going to rush back and marry you. I don’t know how I would get through this without your love. I’m so fucking scared that one day I’m going to be the unlucky one. A piece of my self dies every time I see one of my friends taken away by the medical team. _

_Don’t worry, but I won’t be able to write for a while. We’re moving camps. Hopefully this new area will be a bit less hostile._

_Love you always._

* * *

Friday night, after two weeks without a further word, it was the night of the Homecoming football game. Kira was sitting by himself under the stands, a feeling of dread in his stomach. The Lord’s Prayer was said and the anthem was sung. The mayor then took over the microphone and said the words Kira most dreaded hearing.  
  
“Would you bow your heads for a list of local Vietnam dead.”  
  
There it was, at the end of the list. No one else cared. To them, it was only a name.  
  
Hisagi Shuuhei.  
  
Kira’s body shook and his voice cracked as he sobbed into his arms, vowing to never love again.


End file.
